Lesson 10: Creative Hymn Playing
Lesson Overview
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Lesson Overview
Creative hymn playing can add variety, beauty, and interest to hymn playing while enhancing congregational singing and worship. These techniques can help emphasize the meaning of hymn texts, maintain congregational engagement, and create a more expressive musical experience.
Creative hymn playing techniques are important tools for supporting worship and teaching the gospel with power and clarity.Â
One of the simplest ways to create variety in hymn playing is to rearrange which voices are most prominent. As each of these techniques are explained, demonstration videos illustrate an example of each one.
Tenor Solo
In this technique:
The right hand plays the soprano and alto on one manual
The left hand plays the tenor alone on another manual
The pedals play the bass
The tenor line should use a prominent solo registration while the right hand plays on a softer accompaniment registration. The pedal should balance with the accompaniment.
This technique works especially well:
When the tenor line is melodically interesting
On inner verses
Or after the congregation has become comfortable with the hymn tune.
The tenor may be played in its written range, or one octave higher to create a descant effect.
The demonstration video below showcases tenor solo in the hymn "Praise to the Lord the Almighty."
Manual-Only Playing
In this approach, all four hymn voices are played on one manual without using the pedals.
Although this removes pedal coordination, it requires the hands to manage all four voices in legato style with clean independence of line. Finger substitution, glissandos, and careful fingering become especially important. Manual-only playing can be more easily achieved by playing a hymn in the normal arrangement using the pedals, then retiring all the pedal stops and engaging the manual-to-pedal couplers.
Manual-only playing creates a lighter and more reflective effect because the deep 16’ pedal foundation is temporarily absent.
This technique is most effective for reflective texts or for creating contrast within a hymn.
The demonstration video below showcases manual-only playing in the hymn "Abide with Me!"
In this technique:
The right hand plays only the melody on one manual with a prominent solo registration.
The left hand plays alto and tenor on another manual with a softer accompaniment registration.
The pedals play the bass.
The melody may be played in its written octave, or down an octave for a warmer and less assertive solo sound.
This technique is especially useful in:
Hymn introductions
Unfamiliar hymns
When emphasizing the text of a particular verse
It may be used for an entire verse or for only a portion of a verse.
The score and demonstration video below showcase soprano solo in the hymn "Praise to the Lord the Almighty."
Alto Up an Octave
In this technique:
The right hand plays the soprano normally,
while also playing the alto voice an octave higher than written,
The left hand plays the tenor,
And the pedals play the bass.
Raising the alto creates a descant-like effect.
This technique works especially well:
When the alto line is melodically interesting,
near the end of a final verse,
or when building toward a climactic ending.
The score and demonstration video below showcase alto up an octave in the hymn "Praise to the Lord the Almighty."
This is the most complex creative hymn playing technique.
In normal hymn playing, the soprano melody is the highest voice and is therefore heard most clearly. In this technique, the tenor line is moved above the soprano so that the tenor becomes the most prominent upper voice. At the same time, the melody is placed an octave lower within the texture.
To do this:
The left hand plays the tenor line one octave higher than written,
The right hand plays the alto line an octave higher, but the entire right hand is moved down an octave so that soprano and alto are lower in the texture.
The pedals play the bass as usual.
The result is a very interesting musical effect that can sound like a free accompaniment, since the hymn melody is no longer the most prominent voice.
Because this is the most complex creative hymn playing technique, it can quickly become confusing. It should therefore be practiced carefully and slowly at first. Some organists find it helpful to place their hands on separate manuals to keep the voices visually and physically organized. Some organists may also find it helpful to rewrite the hymn entirely in this way to make it easier to read, execute, and visualize.
If the texture becomes difficult to manage during performance, smoothly return to normal hymn playing.
The score and demonstration video below showcase soprano and tenor switch in the hymn "Praise to the Lord the Almighty."
Non-harmonic tones are notes added outside the basic harmony to create smoother motion and musical interest.
When used tastefully, they can make hymn playing sound more expressive and interesting.
Passing Tones
A passing tone fills in the space between two notes moving in the same direction.
To add a passing tone:
look for intervals of a third in an inner voice or bass line,
then insert a stepwise note between them using shorter rhythmic values.
Passing tones help create smoother stepwise movement in any voice.
Neighbor Tones
A neighbor tone briefly moves away from a repeated note and then returns.
To add a neighbor tone:
look for repeated notes,
especially in inner voices,
then briefly step above or below before returning to the original note.
Neighbor tones can add interesting motion without changing the harmony significantly.
Suspensions
A suspension occurs when one voice temporarily holds a note into the next harmony before resolving downward by step.
Suspensions are especially effective:
at phrase endings,
in alto or tenor voices,
and before final cadences.
They create a beautiful sense of tension and release.
The score and demonstration video below showcase passing tones, neighbor tones, suspensions, and alto up an octave in the hymn "Sweet Is the Work."
Pedal Points
A pedal point occurs when one note, typically a note in the bass, is sustained while the harmonies above it change.
Most pedal points use:
the tonic,
or dominant scale degree.
Pedal points are often effective:
before final cadences,
during interludes,
or when building anticipation in the final verse.
The score and demonstration video below showcase a pedal point and a passing tone in the last part of the hymn "In Humility Our Savior."
A hymn introduction should help prepare the congregation to sing confidently.
An effective introduction should:
establish the key,
establish the tempo and meter,
introduce the hymn melody,
set the mood,
and encourage the congregation to participate.
Creative Introduction Ideas
Simplest Techniques:
First phrase soprano only, second phrase add the alto, third phrase add the tenor, fourth phrase add the bass.
Odd phrases play the melody in unison; even phrases in harmony.
Solo out the melody over simplified harmony
More Complex Techniques:
Solo the soprano on one manual, left hand plays both the alto and tenor, feet play the bass as usual.
Incorporate a fanfare or change up the existing fanfare.
Add passing tones or suspensions.
The introduction should remain clear enough that the congregation immediately recognizes the hymn tune and knows when to begin singing.
Interludes are short musical sections placed between verses.
They are used to:
build anticipation,
prepare for a final verse,
create contrast,
or support a change of registration or key.
An interlude should:
Interrupt the last chord of the verse to begin
Use motivic material from the hymn melody
And conclude the same way the hymn doesÂ
If you choose to prepare and use an interlude in a hymn, prepare and practice it deliberately on your own, then rehearse it carefully with the music leader beforehand so that the interlude enhances the hymn-singing experience for the congregation rather than distracts from it.